Abstract

—The mating behaviour, with emphasis on the sexual maturation, of male tsetse, Glossina morsitans centralis (Machado, 1970) reared at the Uganda Trypanosomiasis Research Organization (UTRO) was investigated. Mating behaviour of 2–15 day-old males and 3-day-old females was observed. Three mating phases were recognized as courtship, mounting and genital interlocking (coupling), and jerking in most male flies tested.

The efficiency in coupling increased with age. Most males mounted the female mates after one attempt. The mating period in most males tested was between 1 and 3 hr, while the jerking period was on average 2.5 min. Most of the matings resulting in insemination lasted longer than 1 hr in all the age groups tested. The ability to inseminate and the degree of insemination produced by the older male flies were better than those by the younger ones. These results are discussed in relation to laboratory rearing of Glossina.